Gab Sutton weekly: Chesterfield worth backing for League Two top seven at 23/10

In his latest exclusive column for Odds Now, English Football League expert Gab Sutton (@GabSutton) runs through Chesterfield's prospects of securing a top seven finish in League Two.

Chesterfield offered a reminder of their promotion credentials last Thursday, with a 5-2 victory over top three contenders Doncaster.

Helped by the additions of left-back Jack Sparkes, wingers Dylan Duffy and Michael Olakigbe, plus striker Bim Pepple, the Spireites found extra athleticism in their attack.

Those wide additions offset the losses of Blackburn loanee Dilan Markanday, now at Leyton Orient, and James Berry to Wycombe, as Paul Cook looks to rebuild his injury-hit squad.

The bench looked strong, though, last time out, with the Liverpudlian having the luxury of bringing on three of their regulars from the National League title-winning campaign – Ollie Banks, Ryan Colclough and Liam Mandeville – plus their marquee summer recruit, experienced forward Paddy Madden.

Meanwhile, an easing of injury crises in defence has allowed Cook to play Tom Naylor in midfield, where his ball-winning qualities are put to best used.

The star quality Chesterfield possess could nudge them ahead of the rest of the contenders, in the scramble to complete a top seven likely involving Walsall, Notts County, Doncaster, Bradford, Wimbledon and Port Vale.

While the aforementioned sextet are involved in the automatic promotion conversation, with just one point separating 2nd from 6th, each of the teams below have question marks.

Two of Salford’s three most consistent players – Matty Young, Stephan Negru and Ossama Ashley – aren’t playing right now, due to Young not being selected and Ashley being injured.

Chesterfield boss Paul Cook has been boosted by recent acquisitions in key areas. (Photo credit: Alamy Images)

Spireites spurring on

Crewe, meanwhile, look short in attack and are winless in five, after losing 3-0 to both Newport and Wimbledon, and Grimsby, for all their stylistic and developmental progress, have lost just one fewer than they’ve won.

Below the 10th-placed Spireites, meanwhile, the likes of Colchester and Fleetwood have some momentum, but are eight points off with only the one game in hand; both need to average two points per game between now and the end of the season to make the cut.

Colchester have shown some potential to reach those kind of levels, with that strong midfield of JJ McDonnell, Teddy Bishop and Jack Payne, but they face top-15 opposition in 11 of their final 16 games.

Chesterfield, meanwhile, are six points off with a game in hand, and are still to play each of the current bottom seven.

The Derbyshire outfit also boast one of the best players in the division in Armando Dobra, who brings a balletic skill and agility to the number 10 role, as well as excellent movement to create space for those around him.

Dobra has eight goals and two assists to his name this year, and can be very dangerous in the final third; if the Albanian can produce the form he’s capable of in the last third, that would make an enormous difference to the Spireites’ Play-Off aspirations.

Plus, while Chesterfield have had their challenges in terms of injuries, this is a club very much on the up.

The fanbase have a lot of belief in the board, the manager, and there’s a feeling that they’re moving in the right direction in the long-term, and the feelgood factor around the SMH Group Stadium could play a part in the run-in – and Chesterfield are as big as 23/10 with Betfair for a top seven finish.

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